Ted Jenkin @ Your Smart Money Moves writes Is It Worth Going To Conferences? – When you work for a large corporation, you don’t have much of a choice about whether or not you go to the company conference.

Jeremy @ Modest Money writes Four Pieces of Your Marketing Plan – Marketing plan is your strategy for getting your product out into the world and turning a profit from that product. I am glad to share with you the marketing analysis strategy.

Christopher @ This That and The MBA writes Travel on a Budget – Do you dream of taking a vacation to one of your favorite destinations only to be awakened by the fact that you do not have adequate cash to take that trip? Discount travel packages make those dreams a reality. Having the ability to travel cheaply does not mean that you always get the best deal so it is important that you do your due diligence.

Justin @ Root of Good writes Smart Travel Through Geographic Arbitrage – Want to find out how to visit countries where everything is on sale? Check out foreign exchange rates for your top choices and visit the country with the weakest currency right now. Chile, for example, is 17% cheaper than one year ago. Everything is 17% cheaper!

Mark Ross @ Money Saving Dude writes 11 Ways You Can Do To Save Money While Traveling – Want to know how you can save money while traveling? Check this article right here, and know the different things you can do to save money while you enjoy your vacation.

Daniel @ Make Money Make Cents writes Where exactly IS the Best Place to Retire? – If retirement is approaching for you and you are planning on making a move to spend your golden years in an area of the world where you can stretch your budget, a new report says that you should be taking a good look at Europe.

FASHION

Alice @ Hurricanes, Panties & Dollars writes The Chick Kit – Turning a otherwise useless empty Altoids container into a spiffy, carry it everywhere chick kit. Just what every girl needs. You can make one for yourself or use it as a sassy gift.

HEALTH

Alice @ Drop the Cookies! writes Tracking Weight Loss Successfully – One of the best ways to set yourself up for weight loss failure is to only track your weight. Sure jumping on the scale and seeing the numbers go down is an accurate way of seeing if your body weight is lower.

Monica @ Monica On Money writes 7 Better Ways To Spend Your Tax Refund – If you are getting a tax refund this year, it is time to make a plan on what to do with the extra money. Otherwise, without a plan, who knows where all that money will end up.

Amy @ Money Mishaps writes Have a childhood savings bond? Here’s what you can do it – Although it was not always a welcome gift, many children got savings bonds for birthdays and other holidays. The goal behind them, in most cases, was to have something ready when it was time to pay for college.

Little House @ Little House in the Valley writes Hectic Week Means Less Time – Getting through busy weeks like this without losing sleep is my top priority. I’m sure that things will slow down eventually, but as of right now it’s looking like the next three weeks will be just as busy as the past four.

ENTERTAINMENT

Miss T. @ Prairie Eco Thrifter writes Can You Afford a Pet? – Though I am a huge advocate for animal ownership, there are a few things you have to consider before taking in a pet of your own. The biggest consideration is whether or not you are willing and able to keep a pet for the duration of it’s life, and the second is whether or not you can afford to keep a pet. Usually, the first answer will depend on the second.

Natalie @ Debt and the Girl writes My Student Loan Debt Story – It is often discussed how much student loan debt a person has or carries. There are many tales of unfortunate circumstances where a hard working student is left with more debt than some people carry on their mortgage.

Harry Campbell @ Your PF Pro writes A Review of the Big Short by Michael Lewis – Before I read The Big Short by Michael Lewis, I had no idea what credit default swaps and collateralalized debt obligations(CDO’s) were. But Lewis does a great job explaining what went on during the years leading up to the subprime mortgage crisis and where it all went wrong. I always knew that the economy got royally f’d by the housing market in 2007-2008 but I never really knew why until reading this book. I was in college during 2004-2009 and the economy was really the least of my worrie

WEALTH AND RETIREMENT

Debt Guru @ Debt Free Blog writes IRS Issues: How to Deal With Being Audited – Each year, more find themselves facing an IRS audit for back tax returns. Just about everyone is subject to being audited at one point or another.

Lauren @ L Bee and the Money Tree writes 4 Financial Mistakes that Weren’t….. – We all make mistakes. We also all make financial mistakes. Trust me, I read a lot of personal finance blogs and have met some of the titans in the industry, and no one is perfect. With my birthday (March 10th!) just around the corner, I have been in a very reflective mood of late.

Crystal @ Married (with Debt) writes Credit Score Curiousity – I monitor my credit score 3 times a year. You can access your free credit report from 3 bureaus once per year, so simply check one every 4 months.

Hank @ Money Q&A writes How You Can Budget With A Credit Card – My wife and I budget a little differently than most families. We budget with a credit card. We use a credit card for most of our purchases instead of cash and monitor our family’s monthly spending.

Jacob @ AllPersonalFinance writes Tips for Keeping Track of Your Investment Earnings – There are a wide-range of investment opportunities out there. You can invest in cattle farms in Kansas, tech companies in China, a retail outlet in Germany, and a gold mine in Peru. Even with so many different investments, every investor is looking for a return on their investment.

Oscar @ Money is the Root writes What Do Americans Really do with Their Tax Refunds? – Surprisingly the IRS has already issued over 31 million refunds in 2014 and the average refund so far is $3200. Despite their best intentions however, the average American finds it quite difficult to save that money.

SavingMentor @ How To Save Money writes Babies Are Free??!! – When I asked a friend how much I should save for a baby’s first year, her answer took me by surprise. She said her baby was essentially free. Free??!! The Globe And Mail estimates that we need approximately $8,000 for the first year alone, which is a much higher amount than “free”. Free in terms of the cost of a new baby is just impossible.

Adam @ Stop Worrying About Money writes Day 6 – Do 1% Better Today (And Every Day) – Today’s topic is a special one, because today’s topic is really the heart of this entire month-long project. Today’s task: Do 1% Better.

Sustainable PF @ Sustainable Personal Finance writes Do You Put Your Ideals Ahead of Your Pocketbook? – There are times when adhering to your ideals is cost-efficient. Not everything is like that, however. There are times when your ideals can cost you money.

Alexa @ Defeat Our Debt writes How to Get Rid of Debt on Your Own – There is no easy way to get rid of debt. You have several options, each come with their own set of pros and cons. Here is how to get rid of debt on your own.

Marissa @ Finance Triggers writes Quirky tips for conserving cash – Here are a few quirky tips for saving some cash. Read on to find out how you do not have to turn your life inside out to gain control of your finances.

Jeremy @ Modest Money writes 3 Creative Ways to Save at the Store – Save at the Store by taking advantage of price match guarantees, using coupons the right way and by Scheduling your shopping.

Katie @ IRA Basics writes The Secret of Saving for Your First Deposit – Are you ready to become a homeowner and do not fancy a no-deposit home loan? Then the biggest obstacle standing in your way is the first deposit or down payment.

Hadley @ Epic Finances writes Why Dunkin’ Donuts is an investor’s breakfast of champions – With Wall Street expecting $.40 in earnings, Dunkin Brands, the purveyor of some of the most delicious doughnuts (and relatively good coffee) in the US surprised the market with fourth-quarter earnings of $.43.

Matt @ Budget Snob writes Should you consider refinancing a student loan? – One of the biggest debts that the average American has is their student loans from college. Recently there has been a lot of talk about refinancing a student loan. We look at a number of different factors that you should know about before making a decision on whether to do this.

Jen Perkins @ Master the Art of Saving writes 10 Ways to Save More Money (Even If You Don’t Want To Be A Couponer) – Couponing for the last 5 or 6 years has taught me many things. Things I never really paid attention to before I started using coupons. Since not everyone is interested in learning about coupons or even extreme couponing, I thought I would share some of my enlightenment with you all.

HOBBIES

Alexa @ Single Moms Income writes 6 Financial Tips for the Job Search – When you are looking for a job, you get into a financial vicious circle, as you look for a job to have a better financial situation, but you have to be on a budget until you find a perfect working place for you.

Marissa @ Thirty Six Months writes 8 Gift Ideas for Different Types of Him – Is it just me, or are boys harder to shop for than girls? Whatever the occasion, most people can use a little help with gift ideas.

Jack @ Money Saving Ethics writes Moving? Make sure you protect yourself, not just your furniture – Did you know that moving is consistently ranked as one of the top 5 biggest stressful events in a person’s adult life? It is true, but while moving is definitely bad enough, being scammed by your moving company is probably a bit worse.

Mr. 4HWD @ The Four Hour Work Day writes Work is More Fun When You Don’t Have to Work – For a while there, the thing I wanted more than anything else in this world was to retire early. Sippin’ pina coladas on the beach sounded pretty good compared to working 8 hours a day in a tiny cubical. But during the past few months, I’ve had a slight revelation. What fun is early retirement if you have no one to enjoy it with? If all your friends are still working then what the hell are you going to do every day for the 8-10 hours you’re alone? There are only so many activities you

GOOD EATS

Jen @ Prepping is Sexy writes Food Insurance: Keeping Your Family Fed – I can’t be the only one noticing the skyrocketing prices everywhere. Products, both food and non-food items just keep getting more expensive. So what can you do? How can you ensure that your family will be able to eat if this continues?

Mr.CBB @ Canadian Budget Binder writes Twice Baked Potato Skins – You haven’t tried twice baked potato skins before? Well you are missing out but today I have a potato skin recipe that you will add to your recipe list, that I can guarantee.

Improving cash flow is a challenge for many Americans. Increasing your income may take time and depend on several factors, such as where you live or work experience. Cutting costs beyond the obvious can also be difficult. Aside from less lattes and mall raids, your budget may not have much leeway.

So, how can you quickly improve cash flow with minimal sacrifice? Increasing your tax allowances may be the simplest solution.

Here are some things to consider before doing so:

Review your W-4 Withholding:

Tax season is upon us and many folks are eager to receive refund checks. With the average refund nearing $3000, our good intentions often give way to impulse purchases.

Simply put, those receiving a tax refund are having too much money withheld. If you receive refund checks yet struggle to set money aside, upping tax allowances may be an answer.

Tax Withholding Calculator: Using a withholding calculator helps increase allowances without underpaying taxes and owing money to the IRS. You can find a calculator online at the irs.gov site.

The Time Value of Money:

You should consider the time value of money when choosing W-4 allowances.

Having additional money withheld from your paycheck is an interest free loan to the U.S. Treasury. This may be a budgeting tool for some taxpayers. The logic is lower paychecks force them to save wisely throughout the year. Unfortunately, this often doesn’t happen. (More on this later)

This approach may also overlook the power of compounding. What is compounding? In a nutshell, investing or paying down debt in smaller sums today has greater results than larger but infrequent payments.

Money has time value, meaning a dollar is worth more now than at some point in the future. Institutions and mutual fundsmay use this principle, but you too can benefit. How?

With more disposable income, you can take a big leap towards better finances: Simply getting started.

Psychology of Money and Summary:

Tax refunds are an emotional high for many consumers. When refunds arrive, the excitement may overshadow more practical options. Holiday spending in particular, receives a boost from consumers who leverage refunds for emotional buying. You may strike a better balance of how money is viewed and spent with higher pay throughout the year.

Each situation is different. Please speak with a tax professional as needed.

There are many different views on couponing out there, especially since TLC started running it’s Extreme Couponing Series. Depending on how you do it and how into it you get, it can be either bad or good.

Does couponing really save you money? It can, but it can also cost you money at the same time.

If you’re just clipping a couple of coupons here and there; only using them on items your normally would purchase anyway…then it can save you a few bucks.

If you’re taking advantage of sales, coupons and other deals for things your family normally uses and building a nice little stockpile, it could save you thousands.

If you’re purchasing tons of coupons, going after every good deal, printing up a storm and creating an end of the world size stockpile…then you might not really be saving as much money as you think.

How Couponing Doesn’t Save You Money

Extra gas to snag all the great deals

Purchasing shelving and containers to hold your stockpile

Printing tons of coupons from your home computer/s

Getting stuff just because it’s free, it still takes gas, coupons, time, energy, storage and money to get “free items.” When you use a manufacturer coupon, you are still required to pay the full tax on the item.

If you got a $1.00 item for free with a $1.00 off coupon and your sales tax is 8%, then you still must pay 8 cents in sales tax on that free item. $10 worth of free items (80 cents tax), $100 worth of free items ($8 tax), $1,000 of free items ($80 tax). See how quickly it can add up. Unless you live in a state where there is no sales tax, your non-food items will still cost you money.

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Disclaimer & Disclosure Stuff

This is a personal blog written and edited by me. I am NOT a professional anything! This blog uses various forms of advertising. You are under no obligation to purchase products/services advertised on this site.